Method of making contoured dished articles



Aug. 5, 1958 Filed Dec J But Inrezvfur United States 2,845,699 7 METHOD OF MAKING CONTOURED DIsHEi ARTICLES Joseph H. Woodard, Ofwo'sso, Mich, assignor to Lee L. Woodard Sons,- OWoSso, Mich, a cdpaitiiers'hip Application December 13, 1'955,-Seri'al No. 552,793 3 Claims; c1. 29-419) This invention relates to a me'tlio'd'of nialc'irig contoured dished articles.-

More specificallythis invention relates to making a contoured article from a blank of deformable mesh material, which contouredarticle may be particularly utilized and adapted in achair construction, a manilcin construction, a chaise long'ue construction, andother s'imilar'articles. I

In the illustrated form of my invention, it will be noted that relatively fig-id frame portions are tonne-(1' to; a

predetermined configuration and are utilized in the deroa.

will nure full-y become apparent from the renewin detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying' drawing which illustrates a preferred form of my invention byexample-only.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dished contoured chair made according to the method of the present inventlon;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of interwoven strands of mesh; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view showing my .novel apparatus diagrammatically shown forming a dished, contoured article to shape.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates generally an exemplary type of chair construction to which the principles of my invention have been applied. The exemplary chair 10 includes a seat portion 11, a back portion 12, arm rest portions 13 and 14, a frame structure 15 and a supporting leg structure 16 which is attached adjacent the seat portion 11 to the frame 15.

As will be noted in Figure 2, and according to one of the principles of the present invention, a metal screening or mesh fabric 17 including relatively movable interwoven strands 18 have been utilized for purposes that will hereafter more fully become apparent.

It will be appreciated that the instant screening may be made of any suitable material such as steel, and may be painted in suitable colors or otherwise finished as desired.

Since the principles of my invention are intimately associated with the manner in which the chair is formed the following description is directed towards the method and apparatus of making same.

A suitable apparatus has been diagrammatically shown in Figure 3 which is adapted to impart to a fiat strip of screening a predetermined contoured dished configuration.

ice:

To this end a lower female die member or support, 19 is? shown which may bemade out, of cast aluminum or other -low cost materials as desired, Die member19includes acontoured dished hollowed out opening 20 which is adapted to receive therein a male portion of male die member 21 in mated relation with a surface 20a defining'the openingor' hollow 20. I

Preferably, the maledie member 21ii's made of a basketlike rigid material having openings thereinat predetermined intervals through which access to the onter'per'iphcry of the" die member 21 and surface 20 a may be obtained when mated with' die member 19'. In carrying out my method it is" contemplated that the male die member be" t nned to a predetermined shape cerr'es end ing as the shape intended to be imparted" rethe strip of screening 17'. p g p 1 The frame structure 15 includes a continuous outer peiipher'al frame barf 22 which it isconte'nip-lated should befor'med to a predetermined configuration corresponding to the shape intended to be imparted to the outer periphery of the chair. The frame structure 15' also includes saddle bars 23 which are of a more or less L-shaped configuration and are adapted to span the seat and back portions 11 and not the chair, v I

In carrying ont the'step's of my methodthe preformed fr'amebar 2'2 i'siiniti'ally placed in position tippn' the female diem'ember 19f being'po'sitively: located and nested ina slot 24. After the bari2 2has been placed in p'o's'itio'n' on female die: member 19', saddle bars" 23 are carried supported by di'ej ne'inber 9" in predetermined pos'itio'i'i- \tri tl'rrespect to dished pe1 n'g 20, It will be appreciated that the bars 22" and 23 may be assembled togeth'erby welding or th'e like prior to the positioning of same infernale die member 19' if desired.

The; neXt step in my mates to. place a, strip of screening 17 across the opening'20. rnereafterrnsle die member 19* is progressively lowered thereby' deforming the r la ively movable interwoven st'rfa'iids- 1,8 to a predeteriiiined contoured' dished configuration corresponding to the configuration of the male die member 19.

As is shown in Figure 3 it will be noted that the mesh 17 is pressed against the frame structure 15 including frame bar 22 and saddle bars 23.

At this stage in the operation, the machine operator may utilize suitable welding apparatus to spot weld the screening 17 at predetermined points or intervals to the frame structure 15 while the die members 19 and 21 are still mated. By so doing, the relatively movable strands 18 are precluded from moving out of position which tends to occur when the frame structure 15 is welded to or otherwise assembled with the deformed mesh 17 after they are removed from the die. Thus, by welding the frame structure with the screening while still in the die the intended dished contoured configuration of the screening may be accurately maintained with respect to the frame structure 15 thereby insuring that the mesh fabric 17 evenly engages along the bars 22 and 23. 'After the sub-assembly comprising the frame structure 15 and screening 17 have been removed from the die, any strands 18 overlapping the frame bar 22 are thereafter suitably cut and removed. Any of the strands 16 not welded to the frame structure 15 while still in the die may now be attached and secured to the respective bars 22 and 23.

After the sub-assembly has been completed, the leg structure 16 suitably may be welded or otherwise assembled to the saddle bars 23 in order to complete the chair.

One of the advantages that accrue as a result of employing relatively movable interwoven strands 18 is that the areas subject to the greatest wear and stress, for example, the outer periphery'of the mesh fabric 17 along bar 22 and at the arm rest portions 13 and 14 are rein a chaise longue construction, and other similar contoured articles.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be efiected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a method of forming a contoured dished article of predetermined shape, the steps of forming a relatively rigid open frame substantially determinative of the outline of the article to be formed, supporting said frame generally around the periphery of a dished female die member, laying across said frame and female die member a piece of bendable open mesh screening made up of relatively laterally movable strands, pressing said screening into said female die member by means of a male die member to dish and shape the screening within said female die member and pressing the screening against said frame, while pressing. the screening into the female die member relatively displacing the strands of the screening for general conformance to the die contours, and securing portions of said screening to portions of said frame while said male die member holds the screening against said frame to thereby retain the screening in permanently dished contour as imparted thereto by the die members.

2. In a method of forming a contoured dished article,

the steps of forming a relatively rigid open frame of a predetermined shape conformable to the outline of the article to be formed, supporting said frame generally around the periphery of a dished female die member having about the dished portion thereof generally outwardly facing contoured surfaces, laying across said frame and female die member a piece of screening made up of relatively laterally movable interwoven strands, pressing said screening into said female die member and over said marginal contoured surfaces to dish andshape the screening generally conformable to the female die member, during such pressing relatively displacing the strands of the screening Where they run over said marginal contoured surfaces to substantially bunch the same to a more dense relationship for enhanced rigidity, and securing portions of said screening to portions of said frame to retain the screening permanently in the dished and contoured form imparted thereto by said pressing.

3. In a method of forming a contoured dished article of predetermined shape and substantial finished rigidity, the steps of forming a relatively rigid open frame of predetermined shape and with saddle bars located across and secured at their ends to said frame, the frame and saddle bars generally conforming to a dished female die member, supporting said frame upon the periphery of the die member and with said saddle bars depending ino the die member, laying across said frame and the saddle bars and across the die member a covering piece of open mesh bendable screening made of relatively laterally movable strands, pressing the screening into said die member to conform generally to the contours of the die member and against said frame and saddle bars while relatively displacing the strands of the screening for conformance to the dished contour, and securing portions of the screening to portions of said frame While holding the screening as shaped to contour against said frame and said saddle bars whereby to retain this shaped screening permanently in the dished contour imparted thereto by said pressing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,730,799 Bowes Oct. 8, 1929 1,923,462 Stoner Aug. 22, 1933 2,208,583 Hoof July 23, 1940 2,251,477 Wisman Aug. 5, 1941 2,378,642 Kopplin June 19, 1945 2,620,552 Jenkins Dec. 9, 1952 2,684,709 Schawinsky July 27, 1954 2,693,027 Myer Nov. 2, 1954 2,708,476 Eames May 17, 1955 2,763,318 Bertoia Sept. 18, 1956 

